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betweentheshelves 's review for:
Powerless
by Lauren Roberts
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
For a debut, I thought this was pretty good! If you like the typical YA fantasy, or are just looking to ease into the genre, this would be a good entry level. it reads like a lot of other YA fantasy, and especially reminded me of Red Queen with a little bit of a Hunger Games influence. If those books are your vibe, then this definitely would hit the right notes for you.
The main thing this book has going for it is the romance; a sort of enemies to lovers, with a touch of a love triangle. The characters were also pretty well developed, possibly the overall strongest aspect of this book. What I wanted more of was the world building; there were aspects of the Trials and the world that still felt a bit confusing for me towards the end of the book. Always something that can be added in later books, though!
The plot does have a few twists and turns in it, but a lot of the main events you'll likely see coming. Not sure it waranted being a 2023 best YA fantasy nominee, but it's still enjoyable nonetheless.
The main thing this book has going for it is the romance; a sort of enemies to lovers, with a touch of a love triangle. The characters were also pretty well developed, possibly the overall strongest aspect of this book. What I wanted more of was the world building; there were aspects of the Trials and the world that still felt a bit confusing for me towards the end of the book. Always something that can be added in later books, though!
The plot does have a few twists and turns in it, but a lot of the main events you'll likely see coming. Not sure it waranted being a 2023 best YA fantasy nominee, but it's still enjoyable nonetheless.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Cursing, Torture, Death of parent